It is my calling
to discover
and fully be
the True Self
that is me.
And even now,
when I am able
to submit to that call,
shedding, if only briefly,
that which impedes it,
I gratefully sip
from that luscious
wine of freedom,
intoxicated by
the blend of harmony
and peace.© 2014 Dennis Ference
Merging Traffic 
Thank you for sharing. Why is being one’s true self so very, very difficult? Even in middle-age, it’s still something so many of us grapple
with. We find ourselves swimming against the current because we don’t know ourselves well enough to understand in which direction we should be heading.
First of all, thank you for your comment. I guess my short answer to the question you raise is that both life and us are complicated. The longer answer, I believe, has to do with all the baggage we carry: our ego; our defense mechanisms; the part of us we disown; cultural and family history and dynamics, including our accumulated wounds and pressures to conform; our often exaggerated need to be secure, to be right and be in control; our inability, oftentimes, to accept and forgive ourselves; our lack of connection to God, the universe, or something or someone bigger than ourselves. The list is long but I think it expresses my view of why I think being our True selves is, for the vast majority of us, a lifetime quest. I am in my 70’s, have been a teacher, a counselor, and a chaplain, and I still find that the quest to be my True self is a life-long learning adventure, and, for me, is synonymis with becoming fully aware of the Divine Presence within me. A bit wordy, eh! I thought your question deserved more than a hasty reply. I sincerely wish you peace on your quest. –Dennis
Beautiful
Sincere thanks for your support. –Dennis
Your goal is strengthened by your certainty Dennis. Nice work.
Thanks, Mike. Peace.
Bravo for finding yourself being in freedom, peace and harmony.
😊 Thanks!
Sometimes it can be a bit like drinking from the firehose, though, no? It’s like trying to fully be everything, in the way only we can do it… 🙂
Michael
I like the “drinking from the firehouse” image. Says it very well. I think when we talk about this stuff it helps to realize that coming close once in awhile is a pretty good thing and that for the vast majority of us it’s pretty much a lifetime journey. Finally if we aren’t accepting, loving and forgiving to ourselves and if we don’t have a good sense of humor, we can drive ourselves pretty crazy. Thanks for the comment. Peace! –Dennis